President questions constitutionality of law stripping exporters of brand rights

President Aleksander Kwasniewski has asked the Constitutional Tribunal to review the proposed law on industrial property rights, which deprives food exporters of foreign rights to brands and gives them to the producers. The most prominent example of a conflict caused by this law is the case of food and drinks group Agros, controlled by France's Pernod Richard, which owns the rights to use the most famous Polish-vodka brands abroad. If the law came into effect, Agros would lose these rights to local vodka-distilleries (Polmoses). The President believes the bill violates constitutional and corporate property rights. If the Tribunal declares the bill unconstitutional, then it will not become law. (Parkiet, page 3, Reuters) T.J.